The Dragon
by ZeldaDragon
Summary: Zelda sees the dark omens that signal the rise of a deadly creature. While trying to find information on the warrior that banished her the first time, Zelda stumbles upon something that falls very close to Link's heart. -Discontinued-
1. Archery Lesson

Hi!! Yay! It's posted! I've been writing this during class, when I should have been studying for finals. I have the next chapter written in my notebook, I just have to type it. You won't have to wait long, though. I promise! Enjoy! And please leave a review! My creativity _thrives_ on reviews! 

"Like this?"

"No, aim a bit higher," Link instructed. Zelda obeyed, bringing the tip of the arrow to a higher point on the target.

"Like this, then?" she asked again.

"Exactly. Now, pull the bow string back as far as you can."

Once again, Zelda did as he said, and tried to pull the tightly strung string back. She didn't get very far before she notice that she wasn't strong enough for Link's large bow. It would have been easier for her to grab the one that had been made for her a few years ago. That one had a looser string, made from horse hair. But she had been so anxious to spend time with Link that she forgot.

Link saw Zelda struggling and walked around to help her. He stood behind her and wrapped one of his arms around so he could place his hand over hers on the bow, with the other covering hers on the string and helped her pull it back. When they had drawn far enough, Link leaned in and whispered in Zelda's ear.

"I'm going to let go now. Then you can let go. Make sure the arrow is pointing where you had it before you drew."

Zelda shivered as his warm breath tickled her delicate ear. Then, doing once again as Link said, she let go of the string. The two watched the arrow sail toward the target and hit just outside the center.

"Excellent!" Link exclaimed as Zelda smiled. "Now try again. I'll help you draw once your ready."

Zelda nodded and picked up another arrow from Link's quiver, nocking it quickly. When she had finished, Link moved behind her again and helped her draw. Once the string was taunt, Zelda aimed. Link let go, letting all the pressure fall to the princess. When the arrow was pointing where she wanted, Zelda released the string.

With a _snap_ the arrow left the bow and closed the distance to the target with speed. Then it hit...in the center ring.

"I did it!" Zelda said excitedly. "Thank you so much for helping me, Link!" She beamed up at him, resisting the sudden urge to hug him.

"Of course, Princess." Link replied, a glint in his eye as he returned her smile.

Just then, an ominous rumble of thunder sounded in the distance.

"We had best return to the castle, before it pours on us." Link said as he looked up at the sky. The sky had turned dark, a sure sign of plenty of rain to come.

Zelda looked up at the sky as well. Something isn't right, she thought to herself as dread and fear filled her body. 

"Zelda?" Link whispered. Zelda didn't move. "Princess?" Link tried again. Still, no response. He reached out and touched her arm. Zelda startled, and Link felt her jump beneath his fingers.

"We should probably get back to the castle now, Zelda," Link said, giving her arm a gentle tug toward Epona.

"Yes," Zelda replied distantly as Link helped her mount behind him.

They were in the Lost Woods, and it would that them a while to reach Hyrule castle. Link didn't want Zelda out while it was dark, especially not in the state she was in at the moment. He looked over at her with a confused look on his face. Her eyes were open, but unseeing. She seemed deep in thought.


	2. The Past

Okay, this is all I have written at the moment, so please be patient and stick with me. This story is probably going to be quite long, and it will take me a while to finish it. I hope you all enjoy this chapter! I really liked writing the small section about Epona. I love horses, and I had a strange connection with my own before he was sold. _

Disclaimer: All characters from Zelda belong to Nintendo. Vollys belongs to Gail Carson Levine, one of my favorite authors.

The two had returned to the castle just as the rain began to fall. It was a cold, dark rain, and Link shivered as he untacked Epona in the stables. Zelda had already retreated to her quarters. She had said that she had something to do, and Link knew she would be pouring over notes and books.

"She seems very distracted," he said to Epona, "I hope nothing is wrong."

Epona, sensing her master's worry, whinnied and nudged him gently with her nose. Link reached up and patted her neck. He loved this horse. They had been through a lot together, and other than Zelda, she was his only friend.

Epona whinnied again and nipped at Link's pocked, smelling food. Smiling, Link brought out the apple he had gotten from the feed room. As he watched Epona eat the apple, all his worries of Zelda left his mind.

Meanwhile, Zelda was worried. She had rummaged through her private library looking for a specific book that she seemed to have misplaced. Finally she found her prize. The book of her choice was very tattered, despite its somewhat young age. The red cover was worn, and the spine was ripped. It even looked as though someone had dropped it into a fire; some of the pages were burned. Carefully, Zelda brought the book over to a table and pulled over a chair to sit on. Then she opened the book, searching for the information she wanted. She found it shortly after. She read the passage with disbelieving eyes.

__

"Less than one hundred years ago, a deadly dragon plagued the land of Hyrule. She was a fire demon, born in the pit of Death Mountain. _The villagers called her "Vollys", or fire dragon. Vollys destroyed many towns, some of which were never rebuilt. It seemed as if no army could stop her._

"But there was one man, whose name is unknown at this time, who was favored by the Goddesses. They granted him with a gift, the most powerful sword known to Hyrule. The Master Sword. Only a real hero can wield it. Along with this, the Goddesses each blessed the man. Nayru gave him her protection; Farore gave him courage to face great evil; Din gave him the power and strength to win any battle. With their gifts, the Goddesses sent this one man alone to fight the Great Dragon.

"After many days of battle, Vollys was defeated and sent to the Underworld until her time comes again. Not until after a greater evil has been beaten, and the sacred Triforce found, will Vollys rise again."

Zelda read the passage once more before standing and walking to a large bookshelf. She ran her finger past title after title until she found what she was looking for. Going back to the table, she opened the book. It told more of the defeater of Vollys. Zelda didn't know why she was reading this, for she didn't think it would be much help. Then she found this.

_"Later it was found that the warrior, whose name was William, was married to a noble woman of another land, Amelia. They had one child, a son named Zachary. Zachary was married to a village woman, ignoring his noble title and came to live in Hyrule. He and his wife, Aurora, also had a son, whose name was never known. Later, Zachary fought and died in Hyrule's civil war. His wife fled to the forbidden Lost Woods with her son. Aurora was later found, lifeless, just inside the Woods. She had been attacked. The child was never found, although it is rumor that he grew up in the forest, under the protection of the Deku Tree. The villagers even say that he is the legendary Hero of Time, although no one knows for certain."_

Zelda stared blankly at the passage. Words kept returning to her mind. "Never found", "Lost Woods", "Hero of Time". Something inside her knew that she had just found Link's past. All thought of Vollys left her mind as she wondered what to do. Even though Link would want to know what she found, Zelda thought it best to wait to show him. She didn't want to cause him any pain, and knew that this was the one thing that would strike Link's heart.


	3. Precious Moment

Hello. I'm sorry it took me a while to get this posted. This part doesn't really have much to do with the dragon, but I find it very cute. I have no problem what-so-ever writing romance. ^_^

Thanks to everyone who has commented. I wrote this for you all, since I know at least someone out there is enjoying my work. Remember, I don't have anymore written, and I'm kinda making this up as I go. Any ideas are welcome. Thanks again! Now read and enjoy! Sorry it's so short!

Later, not long after the sun had set, Zelda started to look for Link. Not to tell him of her findings, but mostly just to talk. He was a wonderful listener, and Zelda enjoyed his company.

Not finding him in the stables or the library, his two favorite places, she decided to check his room. Zelda knocked on the large oak door leading to his lavish chambers. When she heard no movement from inside, she cracked the door and pocked her head around it.

"Link?" she whispered. There was no light in the room; the dark rain clouds blocked any moonlight from seeping in through the large window.

Using her power, Zelda lit the candle she knew was on the table by Link's bed. Once the dim light filled the room, she looked around. It was a beautiful room, usually given to the most important of guests. There was a large, dark rug on the floor, on top of which sat pure mahogany furniture. Zelda had begged her father to no end to let Link live in the castle. The King agreed, giving him this room, right down the hall from Zelda's own. He knew Link would protect her if there was ever a problem.

Finally Zelda located the object of her search. Link was curled in one of the high-backed armchairs, a book open in his lap and a burnt candle on the table. Quietly, Zelda walked over to him. He's still in his clothes, cap and all, she noticed, amused. He looked so innocent in his peaceful sleep, as though he had never held the fate of his entire country, and others, many times before on his shoulders.

Zelda smiled as she removed his trademark green hat. She stepped away from Link and hung the cap on the bedpost where it usually hung. As a second thought, she grabbed a blanket from the foot of the bed, noticing a slight chill. When she returned to Link she saw that he was indeed shivering with the cold.

Zelda took the book from his lap and placed it on the table. Then she laid the thick blanket over his sleeping form, tucking it around him. Pushing a strand of hair from his closed eyes, she let her fingers linger on his cheek. She knew that she loved him. She had known for a long time, but there was nothing she could do about it. Link would probably fall in love with Saria, or Malon. Never a snobby princess like herself.

She bent over and lightly kissed his cheek before leaving, the lone candle still alight.

The next morning, Link entered the dining room to find Zelda sitting at the table. Grabbing an apple from the fruit bowl, he strode over and sat on the table beside her. Smiling, he bit into the fruit.

"You came to see me last night?" he asked once he had finished chewing.

Zelda nearly choked. "How did you know that? Were you awake?"

Link smiled at her reaction before answering, "No, but I woke sometime during the night to find myself wrapped in a blanket and a candle lit by my bed."

"How do you know it was me?" Zelda asked slyly.

"I could smell you. Or your perfumed oil."

Zelda smiled. "Really now? Well, what do I smell like?"

"Roses." Link said simply, averting his eyes.

"Fine, I admit to visiting you last night."

"Did you need something?"

"No," Zelda thought quickly. "But I have something to show you now. Come with me."


	4. Talks and Songs

Hey! First off, I would like to dedicate the rest of this story in it's entirety to one author. I'm quite sure you know who you are, IceDragon. ^_~

I was thinking of just leaving this story because of the lack of reviews. I thought that no one was even reading this, and figured that it wouldn't be missed. But I'm back with a new chapter. I hope you all enjoy this! 

The song you'll find belongs to Enya. It's called "How Can I Keep From Singing?" on her _Shepherd Moon _album.

And check out IceDragon's wonderful story! It can be found on my "Favorite Stories" list. 

Review!

Zelda led Link through the castle to her private library. There was a lock on the door for which only she had a key. At the moment, the door was unlocked, and she led him into the room.

Inside were mostly spell books and old scrolls filled with information on every beast ever known. There were large, long shelves filled with books of every color and size. Some were written in other languages while other had no words at all. It was a peaceful room, lit by sunlight pouring in through the large window above a study table surrounded by chairs. 

Zelda told Link to sit at the table while she went to get something. Link obeyed, and watched as she walked over to a brass trunk in the corner. She pulled out a key and fit it into the nearly hidden lock. Link couldn't see what was inside, for Zelda moved to block his view once the lid was open and closed it just as quickly. But when she turned around, she was holding a ripped red book.

"What's that?" Link asked, knowing he'd get an answer soon enough.

Zelda didn't answer, instead coming to sit in a chair beside him. She opened the book to a page stained it something that looked eerily like old blood.

"Read this." She instructed. Link did.

Once he had finished, he looked up at Zelda. "Do you think you've been seeing the signs of the dragon?"

"I'm not sure," Zelda sounded worried.

"Well," Link looked back at the book. "This says 'Not until a greater evil has been beaten and the Triforce found'. Would you call Ganon a greater evil?"

"He seemed by far more dangerous. Only you were able to defeat him. I doubt an army could have stopped him from gaining his goal." She replied proudly.

"But what about the Triforce?" Link questioned, "Ganon still has the Triforce of Power, so it's not really _found_."

"I hope you're right," Zelda sighed. "I still haven't found a book with the signs of her rising, so I have no way to be sure."

"I don't think we have anything to worry about, princess. And if she does come, we could defeat her, you and I." He smiled. "No one could stand against us and win."

*~*~*~*~*~*

Later that day, Zelda walked through the beautiful gardens behind the huge stone castle. There were paths and small walkways weaving in and out of the flowers and bushes, some leading to benches, others to gates leading to the forest outside the walls.

At the moment, the princess was the only one there, and she used the time and silence to think. 

_Link is probably righ_t, she thought, _My feelings are probably wrong. There's nothing to fear_. Her mood lightened, she began to sing, the haunting words sounding around the garden, hanging in the trees and rising and falling in the air. 

_"My life goes on in endless song_

above earth's lamentations,

I hear the real, though far-off hymn

that hails a new creation.

__

Through all the tumult and the strife

_I hear it's music ringing,_

It sounds an echo in my soul.

How can I keep from singing?"

Her voice rose throughout the garden. Birds sang back in return and Zelda smiled as she kept singing, her heart light.

***

Link was sitting in a tree in the forest. He had left after Zelda had shown him the book. She was afraid, he could see it. She had good reason. When he was young, all the Kokiri would gather every few night to tell stories. The story of Vollys was a favorite, and was told often. Sometimes, the little boys, Link included, would pretend to be warriors while another was the dragon. The girls would join every now and then, being princesses in need of rescue.

He thought of Saria, who was now the Forest Sage. She had never played with them, for some reason. Link would often join her in watching the games from his tree house. She had been his best friend, but once Ganon was defeated, she was needed with the other sages. It had been a sad parting, but she promised to see him when she could.

Not long after this, Link had come to live in the castle with Zelda. Her father had no memory of any of the many battles, but had let Link stay due to his daughter's pleading.

Suddenly, something caught Link's ear. It was a beautiful sound, and he realized with a shock that it was someone singing. It was coming from the garden, which was on the other side of the stone wall before him.

Jumping from the tree, he walked over to a gate and looked inside. He could see no one, but the singing was louder.

Quietly, he walked along a dirt path, following his ears. Eventually, he found the source of the beautiful music.

"You have a lovely voice, my lady." he said.

Zelda turned around, startled. She visibly relaxed when she saw who had spoken. "Why, thank you, my lord." She grinned.

"Where did you learn to sing like that?" Link asked, curious.

"My mother taught me when I was young. I remember she could sing so beautifully."

Changing the subject, Link said, "I'm going up to the forest to find some wood for arrows. Would you like to join me?" 

"No," Zelda looked up to the castle. "I have some business to attend to."

"Very well, princess." Link gave her a small bow, something she found quite amusing. "Maybe another time, then."

*~*~*~*~*~*

Link sat on the bank of a small stream in the Lost Woods. He sighed and looked up at the sky. It was a dreary gray, shadowing the land from the warm sun. Picking up his carving knife, he chose one of the long, thin sticks he had found. Although he had access to as many arrows as he wanted, he still preferred to make them himself, or the shaft at least.

Epona neighed and nudged her master from behind. Link laughed and turned around to pat her neck.

"You're such a good friend." He said. Epona lowered her large body to the ground beside him, landing with a thump. Link laughed again and reached his arms around her neck in a hug. The red mare held her head back with a happy snort. 

Link gave a contented sigh and leaned against Epona. Slowly, he drifted off to sleep.


End file.
